SARA KUGLER
Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- A group of parents of firefighters lost in the Sept. 11 attacks is calling for a federal review of how the World Trade Center's 110-story twin towers collapsed.
At least one federally financed investigation already is examining the catastrophe. But Sally Regenhard, who runs the Skyscraper Safety Campaign, wants the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate its own probe. She has written a letter to FEMA Director Joe Allbaugh.
The agency would not comment on the letter.
``I want these buildings treated the way we treat an ordinary plane crash, and that is that all the materials are painstakingly reclaimed and the plane is reconstructed in order to see where did the plane fail or what happened,'' said Regenhard, whose son, Christian Regenhard, was among the more than 300 firefighters missing or killed.
On Monday, Regenhard showed up at a news conference held by Hillary Rodham Clinton to ask for the New York senator's help.
``We need a federal blue-ribbon independent study to find out why those buildings collapsed,'' Regenhard told the senator. ``My son never should have died _ a fire did not kill my son, a building killed my son, and I would ask for your help.''
Clearly startled by the woman's outburst at the news conference, which was held to discuss unemployment insurance for small businesses affected by the attacks, Clinton assured Regenhard that she supported the idea.
``I agree with you, it ought to be conducted,'' Clinton said. ``We have to find out what happened, and give parents and family members, spouses and others answers.''
Clinton did not say what she would do to try to secure the federal review.
Some engineers studying the destruction have said inadequate fireproofing may have contributed to the collapse. But Hyman Brown, an engineer who supervised construction of the trade center, said fireproofing met the highest standards and was not a factor.
